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West Midlands Class 323 - the final countdown

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Liam L

Liam L

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Geeves

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Liam L said:
For those interested, the first 2 ex WMT 323s are going in for repaint / refurb on Monday

Realtime Trains | 5H96 0919 Allerton Depot to Wolverton Centre Sidings | 02/09/2024

Real-time train running information for 5H96 0919 departure from Allerton Depot to Wolverton Centre Sidings on 02/09/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Click to expand...

I think it might just be one for now but could well be wrong. Dave on the Northern thread when I asked said it's 205, just repaints for now
 
crosscity

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warwickshire

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Observations Saturday 31st August 2024.
Bromsgrove to Lichfield:
323240 323215.
Redditch to Four Oaks
323216 323221.

Please note Sunday 01st September
5Q99 0008 Four Oaks to Soho will be a additional ecs and will be 323221 323216 as informed by various reliable sources on Wmr as the 323s are needed back at Soho for maintenance.
Rather than staying and stabling at Four Oaks until around 16pm on the following Sunday, as per usual for any 730/323 stabling there from the previous Saturday.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Updated Saturday 31st August 2024.
From 1916 hours,
Lichfield to Bromsgrove. Till 1916 only
323215 323240.
Out of service 323215 failed at Gravelly Hill around 1915 hours.
And no further 323 available. From 1915.
So 323215 323240 to Soho even earlier than originally planned above.
 
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Liam L

Liam L

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warwickshire said:
Observations Saturday 31st August 2024.
Bromsgrove to Lichfield:
323240 323215.
Redditch to Four Oaks
323216 323221.

Please note Sunday 01st September
5Q99 0008 Four Oaks to Soho will be a additional ecs and will be 323221 323216 as informed by various reliable sources on Wmr as the 323s are needed back at Soho for maintenance.
Rather than staying and stabling at Four Oaks until around 16pm on the following Sunday, as per usual for any 730/323 stabling there from the previous Saturday.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Updated Saturday 31st August 2024.
From 1916 hours,
Lichfield to Bromsgrove. Till 1916 only
323215 323240.
Out of service 323215 failed at Gravelly Hill around 1915 hours.
And no further 323 available. From 1915.
So 323215 323240 to Soho even earlier than originally planned above.
Click to expand...
216 and 221 stabling at new Street tonight and will head up to Soho in the morning. Presumably no space to have the two extra units than normal on depot.
 
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Liam L said:
216 and 221 stabling at new Street tonight and will head up to Soho in the morning. Presumably no space to have the two extra units than normal on depot.
Click to expand...
Yes, after working in from, Four Oaks on the 2U70 2310 Four Oaks to Birmingham New Street, on Saturday 31st August 2024, they are booked to stable at Birmingham New Street, overnight, before going back on Sunday 01st September 2024 on the 5G80 0851 Birmingham New Street to Soho, ie additional working, ie due to no space and also due the other units which normally stable at Four Oaks being required for maintenance at Soho, first, over the other two, hence no space Soho.

Observation Birmingham New Street 2355 hours,
However: Saturday 31st August 2024
2U73 2313 Longbridge to Four Oaks, due to it being the last train of the day it actually ran 25 minutes late from Birmingham New Street to Four Oaks. Before returning to Birmingham New Street to stable.
With 323216 323221 provided after working in from Four Oaks.
Due to the other booked pair 323215 323240 failing early on.
So 323216 323221, actually got some more use out of them.
 
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diligentdave

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Geeves said:
I think it might just be one for now but could well be wrong. Dave on the Northern thread when I asked said it's 205, just repaints for now
Click to expand...
Caught me unawares this did as originally it was only 1 unit, but they've now switched to a two unit program so 323205 & 323220 are the pair going for first repaint.
 
crosscity

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diligentdave said:
Caught me unawares this did as originally it was only 1 unit, but they've now switched to a two unit program so 323205 & 323220 are the pair going for first repaint.
Click to expand...
Annoyingly it ran at the wrong time for me. If it had run 1hr later it would have passed under 323222 & 323215 at Lichfield Trent Valley!

Assuming they take two or three weeks to paint, the next 'batch' from the North will probably head to Wolverton after the five remaining Soho 323's have been withdrawn from service, so there won't be another chance.
 
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Ribbleman

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Geeves said:
Just to add to Gazza's post

215 + 222 are the other sets out LTV - Bromsgrove

Here's something but maybe nothing 201 and 204 (according to the magic box) their allocated depot code has changed from 'SO' to 'LG' which is Longsight Manchester, they are the only units with that code, everything else is still 'SO' or 'AN' Soho or Allerton

201 and 204 are both currently without a home, Longsight lost its 323 allocated when they transferred all the maintenance to Allerton, interesting !
Click to expand...
The Longsight reference may relate to the fact that Northern now have use of the building constructed for maintenance of the regional Eurostar sets which of course was never used for the intended purpose. It is at Longsight but on the other side of the mainlines from the Alstom depot.
 
Liam L

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crosscity said:
Annoyingly it ran at the wrong time for me. If it had run 1hr later it would have passed under 323222 & 323215 at Lichfield Trent Valley!

Assuming they take two or three weeks to paint, the next 'batch' from the North will probably head to Wolverton after the five remaining Soho 323's have been withdrawn from service, so there won't be another chance.
Click to expand...
Hopefully someone here can keep us update on a return path, I would quite like to see them out in northen livery, Not too interested in the inbound paths, I've seem them in WMT colours hundreds of times :lol:
 
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Ribbleman said:
The Longsight reference may relate to the fact that Northern now have use of the building constructed for maintenance of the regional Eurostar sets which of course was never used for the intended purpose. It is at Longsight but on the other side of the mainlines from the Alstom depot.
Click to expand...

Ah yes the 'Bank Street' depot, so far I think it is still minus any allocated units with everything with it's home depot as Allerton. Also 201 and 204 now "spare", they aren't required by either WMT or Northern so maybe there are other plans for the homeless ones Vs scrap!
 
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warwickshire

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Observations Monday 02nd September Birmingham New Street 2330 hours UPDATE
2U73 2303 Bromsgrove to Four Oaks, 323215 323222 swapped over at Birmingham New Street, and ran ecs to Soho, again issues with 323215.

Rather than working ecs to Soho, from Birmingham New Street onwards. After arrival on 5G70 2321 Four Oaks to Soho,
323216 323221 worked back to Four Oaks from Birmingham New Street

Which. Means Tuesday 03rd September 2024
Redditch to Four Oaks will be the same as Monday 02nd September 2024
323221 Redditch end 323216 Four Oaks end.
 
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323207 working Stoke-Manchester locals today.323219 working Crewe-Manchester locals.These two have been regulars in service this last month.323208 and 323220 were regulars earlier in the year.
 
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warwickshire

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Observations Tuesday 03rd September 2024
Bromsgrove to Lichfield
323240 3232222
Four oaks to Redditch.
323221 323216

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Observations Wednesday 04th September 2024.
Bromsgrove to Lichfield
323216 323221
Four oaks to Redditch
323222 323240

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Observations Wednesday 04th September 2024.
Bromsgrove to Lichfield
323216 323221
Four oaks to Redditch
323222 323240
 
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Class15

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Liam L said:
https://www.branchline.uk/fixture.php bookings for the 323 tour are now open

64.40 for tour which features Liverpool Lime Street, Bromsgrove, chase line, Coventry
Click to expand...
Wonder why they’re going to Liverpool and not bothering with the full cross-city line? The 315 tour may have been a bit unadventurous but like the 508 tour it took in the line which the class was associated with.
 
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My only thoughts would be at time time of the tour you'll (probably) be able to still ride a 323 on the cross city line, but its likely you'll never be able to have a 323 on those WCML sections as a regular passenger ever again?

Todays units

216 + 221 - Four Oaks - Redditch
222 + 240 - Lichfield TV - Bromsgrove
 
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Potteries 323

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Class15 said:
Wonder why they’re going to Liverpool and not bothering with the full cross-city line? The 315 tour may have been a bit unadventurous but like the 508 tour it took in the line which the class was associated with.
Click to expand...
The 323s were regulars on the Birmingham-Liverpool route when new and also the Stafford-Stoke route too.Obviously the Crewe-Stoke section was not eectrified then.
 
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Potteries 323 said:
The 323s were regulars on the Birmingham-Liverpool route when new and also the Stafford-Stoke route too.Obviously the Crewe-Stoke section was not eectrified then.
Click to expand...
Potteries 323 said:
The 323s were regulars on the Birmingham-Liverpool route when new and also the Stafford-Stoke route too.Obviously the Crewe-Stoke section was not eectrified then.
Click to expand...
I rode 323206 from Crewe to Liverpool Lime Street on 09/08/1999.
Class15 said:
Wonder why they’re going to Liverpool and not bothering with the full cross-city line? The 315 tour may have been a bit unadventurous but like the 508 tour it took in the line which the class was associated with.
Click to expand...
Intersting that when the tour reaches Lime Street it is booked for Patform 2. If there is a Northern 323 in Platform 3 there will be some good photo opportunities.
 
Liam L

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childwallblues said:
Intersting that when the tour reaches Lime Street it is booked for Patform 2. If there is a Northern 323 in Platform 3 there will be some good photo opportunities.
Click to expand...
Hopefully someone at northern can allocate a ex WMT 323 to arrive at the same time, that would be nice!
 
birchesgreen

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Class15 said:
Wonder why they’re going to Liverpool and not bothering with the full cross-city line? The 315 tour may have been a bit unadventurous but like the 508 tour it took in the line which the class was associated with.
Click to expand...
Isn't a 323 up the WCML thrash-tastic? Not done it myself but others have said its... tasty.

Looks a great tour.
 
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